Top 15 Best Bento Box Reviews And Comparison

Bento box is a single – portion box that has different segments to carry Chinese, south Indian, along with pickles and vegetables. It is a method of taking out the home-packed meal, prevalent in Japanese cuisine. The containers range from disposable masses that are produced to work to hand- crafted lacquerware.

Bento boxes are available in many places all over Japan, including all the general stores, shops, departmental stores, and railway stations. However, the Japanese homemakers spend most of the time on the carefully prepared boxes for their relatives, children, and for themselves. If you are looking for the best bento boxes, then go through the following article.

Best Bento Box FAQs

Q. How we choose the best bento boxes on our list?

A comprehensive approach was adopted to come up with the list provided above. A group of participants was formed and was provided with the product to be used for some time. During the usage, they were instructed to note down their observations about the product and what they most liked about the product. Such a list was made for all the bento boxes that are being described in the list provided above. After some time, the users were called, and after the expiry of the time of trial, the reviews summarized by them were collected from them.

Along with that, we had also formed a proper panel of experts who were meant to meet the technical side of the reviews. They were instructed to observe the finer side of things. They noted the performance with a critical eye and keen observation. As above, they too were asked to submit their reviews after the expiry of the time.

After collecting and surmising their reviews, they were added to the pre-existing list of reviews that were taken from the daily users earlier. To make a proper conclusive report which was to be final, reviews of both the lists were put together and then formed into a ranking report. This report was further published as a list which you just read above.

The list does not tell about one product is inferior to others. All the products have their own quality and use and you are free to choose any product of your choice.

Q. Why you need the best bento box in our kitchen?

Bento boxes have made carrying food more easy and compatible without requiring many containers to store food. They make the food stay cool or hot according to the personal requirements. We love taking our food with us that we prepared in our pressure cooker, multi-cooker, cookware, and indoor grill!

It is very important that the best bento box you choose is dishwasher safe, chest freezer safe, microwave safe. That makes it more compatible to be used without any hectic management.

Bento boxes can also be used in different ways such as putting different materials such as small pieces like stamps and stickers in each container. Stacking them together and here you are ready with a potable arts and crafts station. Tiffin is also great for storing small play Mobil and Legos sets that can be lost easily. These are great for meals out and playdates.

They can also be used for storing grooming accessories such as baby’s nail clippers, tweezers, cotton swabs and balls, thermometers, Band-Aids, etc. each into a separate container. Items can be kept separately and clean in one central location for and easy access. Similar to how the meal prep containers and meal prep bags work.

From health benefits to environmental benefits bento has proved itself. Thereafter, the way for other equipment too should be made. This will help in creating a cluttered kitchen and not leave any space for any other thing. Let your living be a clutter-free experience. Adopt smart and compatible measures for yourself and your kitchen. The products are priced such which can be afforded by everyone. These can be purchased either from the market or from the internet.

There are many people who love to bring their lunch in the office or school from home to enjoy a safe, inexpensive, healthy, and tasty meal during lunchtime. There are some crucial criteria as below to consider before buying the best bento lunch boxes for everyday use.

Sealed Lid is especially required to protect your food against the leak problem. A properly sealed container such as airtight lunch boxes can ensure the food does not spill and spoil the contents of your bag.

Shape, Design, and Size of a lunch box is another important matter to check while buying it. It is better to choose a single box with multiple compartments inside it to carry various types of foods without messing with each other.

Material is another important matter to look into while choosing the best box for you. It can be stainless steel, aluminum, glass or plastic but always look for the one which can keep your food warm and bacteria-free.

Easy to Use should be your main concern while you are going to pack food for your kids. The box should be easy to open and close with only two clips. Otherwise, your kids will bring the food home untouched, or they may just mess it up.

Easy to Wash feature is so vital to keep your boxes germs-free. You should buy a box that can be washed with any utensil soap bar and if required, can be cleaned by hot or lukewarm water.

The Warranty should also be kept in mind while buying the product. You should go for those boxes which come with at least a minimum of a 1-year warranty.

Q. What is the best bento box for kids?

If you are looking for the best bento box for your kids in the market, then there are few facts you need to remember while choosing the most suitable one. First of all, it has to be durable, which can stand to take a few tumbles if it gets slipped from their little hands. Secondly, and the most important one is, it has to come with an easy to open and close the facility. Otherwise, you may have to clean up all the leftovers and spilled lunches from the box. Hence, a Bento box is simply the best for your kids with their unique features.

There are many other factors too, to choose the best bento box for your children. It has to be made of BPA-free plastic materials. It is always good to have many compartments in the box which can be used safely in dishwasher and microwave. The box also needs to have a tight seal that can keep all the sections safe from leaking with two kid-friendly latches. Always better to choose a box that is lined with the rubber in its edges, which can minimize the impact of the drops and Bento has all these characteristics.

If you do not want to give any plastic containers to your kids due to their safety and longevity concerns, then you can choose glass bento boxes. Glass containers are always free from various types of harmful chemicals and are completely secure. According to the users, these glass bento boxes are great in shape and size for lunches but are not completely leak-proof. So, it’s better to avoid putting some foods of watery texture into them.

Q. Do bento boxes leak?

Bento boxes are known for being leak-proof. Generally, it depends on the type of food you are talking about it. It comes with an elastic strap and rubber padding for extra security against leaks and drops for the foods of watery texture like yogurt, soup or juice. You can clean it in a dishwasher, put it inside the microwave to reheat the food and freezer to cool it without any hesitation.

Although it is an airtight container, you can test the bento box by putting some water in it and shake it around before packing some watery food inside. This is the best way to know whether your box has any leakage in it or not. There are many boxes in the market that claims to be a leak-free container, but after using it for after a few months, the tightness of the rubber gets loose, and it starts leaking outside. But Bento is not one of them.

A leakage issue from the lunch box can ruin your child’s books, clothes, and many more goods in their bag. This is dangerous and unhygienic for them. So, before packing some food inside, you have to be sure about this issue first. Also, while buying a bento box for your toddler; you should keep in mind the portion size. The box neither should be too big nor should it be too small for your ward. The size and shape of the best bento box are specially designed for a better grip. You can place them in your computer bag too without taking up too much room for it and without fear for any kind of leakage issue.

Q. Can the bento box be microwaved?

Yes generally, all the bento lunch boxes are safe to use in the microwave to make your lunch warm at your workplace or school. All you have to do is just reheat the food by placing the bottom and top containers of the box and open them once it completely cools down. Do not put the divider or the top lid between the containers inside the microwave.

This can start a fire as these two parts are not microwaving safe. But keep in mind that bento boxes should be put inside a microwave for reheating purposes for less than three minutes only, but not for cooking. Little air plugs are present at each side of the lids for steam to escape, remove them before microwaving your food.

The kids can also reheat their food in the Bento Kids Lunch Box by placing the tray only inside the microwave. They should not put the outside shell for heating purposes.

There are various kinds of bacteria that can impact highly in heat while you are using your lunch box in microwave. But with the best bento box, you do not need to worry about it anymore because of its high-quality plastics. There are various glass and steel products also available in bento.

You can also have many other facilities from like leak-proof quality, great color, and varieties of shape. There is a new model of bento that can serve both hot and cold food inside one box. You also carry a healthy amount of meal in this box, and it will take a small space to fit in your bag.

Q. What is the deal with bento boxes?

Bento box is a single-portion take-out carrier that can hold enough quantity of rice or noodles, fish or meat, pickled and cooked vegetable items in it for a single person or kid. There are many effective reasons behind the rising demand for this box. Especially because of its leak-proof facilities, easy to open and close system, BPA-free container materials, thermally insulated facilities, FDA approved the product and attractive design it has some quick popularity all around the world.

There are lots of local companies everywhere who design the same features, but after using it for a few days, you can notice the difference in them. There are many issues you may face like color fade, issues with broken latch, the food will not remain warm, and many more.

There are options also with steel and glass material. If you are concerned about the longevity of the product, then you can go for steel or glass, which is better than any plastic material. But if you want to buy a bento box for your kids, then plastic is a suitable option for you to pack their lunch.

Q. Are bento boxes healthy?

Yes, bento boxes are very much healthier because of its high-quality materials. Bento boxes are getting more popular all over the world due to its effectiveness and balance. You can pack a regular quantity of rice, fish or meat, and pickled, raw or cooked vegetables inside it as per your doctor’s diet.

In one full meal of bento boxes, there can be 470 calories, including 66% carbohydrates, 18% fat, and 16% protein. You can pick your meal with calculated calories and pack them into a bento lunch box using its various compartments, which can help you to lose your weight while you are on a strict diet. There is plenty of shape and color you can find while choosing from the bento boxes collections.

They are also a healthier version of all the plastic boxes available in the market because they are BPA free, FDA approved, and do not contain any phthalates, lead, PVC or vinyl. They are also safe for the little children as the design is simple and has no complicated straps or lids to open or close. They are most suitable for children ages 3 to 8.

Healthier adult bento boxes can include rice, hummus, pita bread, beans, quinoa, egg salad, and many more whereas a healthy bento box snack for kids can include vegetables, bread, sandwiches, and fruits. Bento boxes also come with a 2-year warranty which provides a guarantee for their healthy version of plastic material used, drop-resistant design and rubber-coated edges. They also claim that their boxes are indestructible even after hundreds of uses.

Q. Where did the bento box originate?

Bento Box originated in Japan in the 5th century. At that time, warriors, farmers or hunters pack their lunch in a box that has different compartments for different types of foods. This is the most convenient lunch box to keep their meals warm while they are outside. The word “bento” means “convenient.” The boxes were made in such a way that they can carry any type of food in the most secure way. At that time, Japanese white rice was a necessary and essential part of the box.

After World War I bento box become a status symbol for the rich kid, while the poor children could not afford the simple ones also. By 1980, America and the United Nations have also embraced the culture of the Bento box. People of sugar plantation are the first to use these magical boxes.

Nowadays, the Bento box has become popular all over the world in every culture for a varied and balanced diet. Many people now carry bento boxes to picnics, family, and pot gathering also. Earlier bento boxes contain rice, vegetables, fish or meat, pickled foods, and fruits. But now modern bento boxes can contain different varieties of foods ranging from sandwiches, salads and French fries to yogurts and cakes.

Earlier bento boxes were made of wood or basket material. But now they are either made of plastics, glass or steel. Readymade bento boxes are also now available in supermarkets. They are nicely packed with freshly made foods that can be easily warm by heating it inside a microwave.

Q. Why must Bento box foods be well cooked?

Packed food items in bento boxes are usually eaten by someone for quite a few times after they have been prepared. So, the food items must be well cooked to prevent changes in flavor, color, and taste. It is better not to pack anything inside the boxes which can go bad after a few hours of cooking. Also, if you are putting some kind of watery food, then it is better to reduce the excess liquid before packing the boxes.

When food gets cold, flavors can get muted from them. So, if you can cook your food with strong flavors, then it will remain tasty even if it gets cold.

Avoid very greasy and oily foods inside the box, because the excess oil will convert to fat after cooling down. If you are going to pack some fried items for lunch, then make sure they are well-drained and cooled before packing. Fried snacks are the best food that can fit properly inside the bento boxes. If you are packing any leftover food, then you should always reheat it properly in a pan instead of the microwave to heat it thoroughly and restore its freshness.

If you want to pack some soup in your lunch, then you must cool it to room temperature and then close the lid. You can easily warm it afterward by keeping it in a microwave for less than three minutes.

Bento boxes are made of high-quality materials that can prevent your food from various kinds of bacteria even when you reheat it for a couple of times before eating.

Q. How much is a bento box?

Bento boxes are very much popular for its high-quality materials and economical rates all over the world. All the useful features like leak-proof, BPA-free, various compartments and others are included in a smart shaped box. The price of a bento box depends on its size and model. There are varieties of models you can choose according to your budget and needs.

There are more than 200 models of bento boxes for you to choose the right one to carry your lunch at the office or school. The range of bento box collection starts with the lowest price of $2.50 to $350.00.

Not only the plastic boxes but also you can buy some glass and stainless steel material lunch boxes like Jiji Stripes Stainless Steel Container 580ml and Totoro Field Stainless Steel Container 580ml in bento collection.

According to a survey by Authentic Japanese, Bento Box Lunch Box, GAMEBOX 2-TIER BENTO LUNCH BOX WITH REMOVABLE DIVIDER, SPOON, FORK 1410ML, and Stainless Steel Lunch Box set 560ml Green Stripe with Fork is the most popular bento lunch box among the users.

Q. Are bento boxes eaten cold?

Generally, people use these types of lunch boxes to keep their food warm while having it. But some people pack foods that can be eaten cold and take it inside an ice pack to keep it cool or put it inside a refrigerator. Here comes the specialty of bento boxes. You can keep your warm and cold food both inside this box at the same time. It has two different compartments for both hot and cold foods.

If you have packed your lunch at 8 A.M. and you have it at 1 P.M. bento box will keep your food cold and fresh till that time.

Bento Box Usage Tips

Wash your hands and the box properly to make sure it’s clean before you pack lunch in it.

Always use clean utensils and plastic gloves while you are packing. It’s better to avoid touching the food with bare hands.

It is suggested to re-heat all the pre-cooked foods before packing.

Hot or warm rice, fried nugget, boiled sausage, etc. must be cooled down before packing it inside the box to avoid bad bacteria formation.

Try to remove the extra liquid element from food which can spoil it.

Make sure that the food is cooled down before closing the lid of the bento.

If you can maintain these safety tips, then you can maintain the longevity of both the food and the box.